Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-21

- --N~'
- The genuine has above trade mark and
cE5ssed red lines on wrapper. Take no other.
Made Ouiy by BROWN CHEMICAL Co BALTIsORE- Nd
and powerful cannot violate the law with
out receiving the same condemnation and
punishment which is meted out to the
poor aud weak.
respectfully suggest to your honora-
bic bodies the prOpriety of enacting
that, h-reafter, pooling or combinations
between railroads and other common car
riers shall be deemed unlawful; and if
any officer, agent, servant or employe
thereof shall enter into or execute
any agreement of that character, or
shall operate or assist IN operating
a railroad under such agreement. or
shall knowingly aid or assist in the
operation of railroad under such ar
rangcment, he shall be deemed guilty of
a felony, and be imprisoned in the peni-
Tertiary for proper term of years.
Our laws of conspiracy might also be
amended to embrace the same transac-
ton, and thus put q stop to a practice
which has frequently been Stigmatized by
the courts as criminal conspiracy
against the public.
l would also call to your attention an
other phase of the constitution relating
to railway regulation-which is discrim-
iration. From careful reading of the
first two sections of Article ten 90, it
would seem that our people, in the
adoption of their organic law, were care
full to eDj0in upon the legislature the
duty of preventing two kinds of discrim-
nation:
l. Discrimination by railways against
shippers.
,. Discrimination by railways against
each other.
The first class of discrimination has re-
ceived repeated attention at the hands of
former legislatures, and the present laws
upon that subject may, perhaps, be sufli-
Gent to afford ample protection to the
public. Hitherto, however, the last class
seems to have escaped Legislative atten-
ton, and its importance to G Just and equi
table system Of transportation is apparent.
II the more powerful corporations can
refuse st their pleasure TO interchange
business with their weaker competitors
and harraSS them with onerouS diScriml-
it is only question of time when
the weaker corporations will be driven to
insolvency, or into combination, against
their will, with the stronger, which is dis
astrous to the public. This has already
happened IN our state, and our laws should
not admit OF its repetition. Aud, with
the prohibition of pooling, the weaker
roads should not be left at the mercy
of the str niger, but should be forced
by law to do that which they are now do
ing by voluntary agreement, which is to
freight and passengers with
each otner with due facility.
We have some provisions in our stat
utes partially aimed at this evil, which
may be found in Title 81, article 1851 10
1855 of the Revised Statutes. These
provisions are evidently taken frow laws
passed many years ago, and ere totally
and imperative. | recon-
mend their substitution wi such pro-
visions as may be adapted to Inc present
eXigenCy.
With these changes in cur railway
avs, l am of the opinion that we can
cave to the near future the proper solu-
ton of our transportation difficulties and
that the legislation will prove salutary in
effecting the desired object. II we can
prevent pooling and thereby force an hon
est competition for public business with
out discrimination against individuals or
other railways, we will have made decided i
progress in forcing our railways to be !
operated on fair business principles, and |
;sn well afford to overlook or ignore mi |
Tor grievances which in time will most |
correct themselves. The fixing |
If arbitrary rate S by law will, in my iudg- |
nent, always prove failure and would |
)ften inure to the disadvantage of d fer |
mt localities. And the organization of a |
commission with powers either absolute |
)r advisory would in the end, fear, !
prove but a costly and useless luxury to |
he people, wholly incapable of doing |
more than calling the attention Of the |
sufficiently informed, and for the correc- |
ion OF which the commission could not |
)e clothed with necessary constitutional !
powers, and would not give promise # |
hat permanent relief demo nded by our |
people. These are the &C 'vicuons 10 |
which have arrived after th4 patient in
'estigation Of years with lie only pur-
rose Of helping to mete out I T.. la and eX
ct justice to the people and ,le railways |
like.
Let US eDdeavor to force the railways J
nto active competition with eacn otner,
hus necessitatIng reasonab" = ties snd
air treatment if they would Joy public
Enc Jurage their Construc-
ion to all localities, protect their prop
rty from violation, deal with them
Justly, firmly and impartially as with sll
ther citizens, and there will soon be no
more necessity for interference with their
than with any other lines of
legitimate business.
CONTINGENT APPROPRIATIONS.
respectfully recommend to your nom
rable bodies the ACCESSIBILITY of spec
81 appropriation to defray any expense
vlich may become requisite in the exc
ution of the laws or the maintenance OF
ublic order in the state. 1t is hoped
nd believed that it will not De necessary
o expend any Of the public money in
UGH an exigency, but a reasonable pre-
aution should be observed by equipping
he executive with such means and facili-
les as will enable him to discharge the
litigation OF mis- oath to see that the laws
re faithfully observed and executed
The displayed advertisement of the
'hsse Trading Co.'s on the fourth age
) interesting rsading.